by Julia Mills
“Oh my Goddess! You’ve been under a helluva Concealment Spell. One like I’ve only ever read about. Your parents had some serious mojo! I hope you don’t mind, but I called my Aunt Della and she’s looking through the library at the coven for a way to remove it.”
Kyra paused for a breath and Siobhan came up behind her looking at Anya and asking in a very motherly tone, “Are you alright, my dear?”
She thought for a moment before answering, “Yeah, I’m good. I know Mom and Pops only ever did what they thought was best. If they placed the spell, then there had to be a good reason. I just hope you can remove it. I’d kinda like to know what I don’t know, ya know?” She giggled at her own goofy speech and the others laughed along.
“I have every faith in our Kyra. If there’s a…”
No one heard the rest of what Siobhan was saying as a collective gasp filled the room. Anya could only guess that like her, the other girls heard the voices of their mates.
“Dev?”
“It’s me, mo ghra’. Were you expecting someone else?”
“No, goofball. I was…well…I mean it’s been…”
“I know, evgren. It sucked. I thought I was gonna go crazy when I was unable to reach out or hear your thoughts. Then I found out no one could speak to their mates. Hell, there were a few minutes that we couldn’t even talk to each other. We think it was the sound waves from the blast that interfered with our mind speak.”
“I’m just so glad you’re alright. I mean I could feel you the whole time, but it was really hard not being able to talk to you, especially after I saw the explosion in my dream.”
“Sorry about that. I had no idea what was about to happen or I would’ve shielded you.” She heard true regret in his voice but needed him to understand they were in this whole crazy thing together, no matter how rough it got.
“You better never shield me from anything, Devon. We talked about this. What happens to you, happens to me. I never want you to go through anything alone. We’re partners, no matter what. Good, bad or ugly…”
“Yes, ma’am.” Anya wasn’t sure if she should kiss him or kick when she heard the chuckle in his voice. Getting her big bad dragon to stop treating her like the little woman she most definitely was not, wasn’t going to be an easy task. He continued, “I’ve got to get back to the search, but I’m coming home with the first group right before dawn. I’ll tell you all about it then.”
“Okay. Be safe.”
“I will. I love you, mo ghra’”
“Love you too, Dev.” And she truly meant it.
Lost in thought with what she was sure was a goofy grin on her face, Anya was unprepared for the six year old ball of energy that once again landed right on her lap, singing a very happy tune, “Mommy talked to Daddy. Mommy talked to Daddy.”
She smiled at Sydney’s delight, unable to stop from singing along for just a minute. When the darling girl took a breath, Anya jumped in, “And I talked to Devon and Grace to Aidan and Kyndel to Rayne…”
“I know, silly. I heard them all–even Aaron when he was talking to Rian. He’s not very happy cause they still can’t find Andrew.”
“I can only imagine.”
Her next comment was interrupted when Sam took Sydney from her lap, saying, “Now that we are sure everything is okay, I think we should get home, little miss. You need to get at least a little cat nap before Daddy gets home. I’m somehow sure you’ll be up the moment he touches down.”
“Touches down?” Anya asked.
Sam nodded as she explained, “Lance and Rory are flying back while it’s still dark to see if they can spot any of Andrew or Mr. A’s followers that may have gotten away. Rian’s sure Andrew is still inside and he has confirmed Mr. A died in the blast. They just want to make sure any that may have escaped can be rounded up and held accountable for their crimes.”
“I see,” Anya responded and immediately felt bad for all the others that had been abducted like her. They hadn’t been responsible for their situation, and now they were either dead or being hunted down.
Grace must’ve sensed her thoughts when she said, “Anya, if there are any that were forced into Andrew’s plot, like you, I’ll personally make sure they are given the rehabilitation they need to return to their old lives.”
While Anya thanked Grace, she saw Sam cross the room out of the corner of her eye. The women exchanged a look and Grace rose to follow Sam and Sydney into the kitchen. Anya looked at Kyndel, who was watching her best friend and shaking her head. When the Commander’s mate turned around, she explained, “You remember we told you about what Mr. A and his thugs had done to Sam?”
Anya nodded while the other woman continued her explanation, “Well, we didn’t get to the part where Mr. A was actually Grace’s boss, the State’s Attorney, at the same time he was a human trafficker and building the city’s largest crime syndicate. A couple of his thugs broke into the State Building to steal some incriminating paperwork while Grace was working late one night and she was caught in the crossfire. Thank the Heavens, Aidan got there in time, but she was still injured. Then when the warehouse where they had taken Samantha after she was kidnapped blew up, my poor bestie was captured by Andrew and we thought we’d lost her. Grace was hoping to get a chance to put her old boss in jail for the rest of his life. I know she’s glad he’s been stopped, but I think it’s kind of a letdown that she didn’t get to be the one that clicked the lock and threw away the key.”
Kyndel’s chuckle sounded hollow and her smile didn’t reach her eyes. “Both girls suffered at that asshole’s hands, and I think they just need a few minutes to let reality sink in.” She sounded almost haunted when she spoke of the others’ trauma, making Anya feel bad for the Commander’s wife, who was so incredibly empathic that she suffered also.
It was then that Anya realized she could hear their whispered voices from the other room and if she focused, she could actually make out what they were saying. She chalked it up to another benefit of the mating call the other girls had been telling her about.
Having a difficult time blocking out Grace and Sam’s conversation, Anya told Kyndel she needed to see what Kyra was up to with the amulet and hurried towards Siobhan’s study. As she approached, she caught part of Kyra and Siobhan’s discussion about the best way to remove the Concealment Spell. She lightly knocked on the door to let them know she was there before walking in.
“Come on in, Anya,” called Kyra.
“Thanks,” she answered, stopping just inside the door when she found them both sitting cross-legged on the Oriental rug in front of the fireplace. Every available inch between and around them was covered with open books, notebooks, and loose pages, that judging by the discoloration of the paper, were very old.
Siobhan began to explain, “From the strength of the Concealment Spell and the traces of ‘other’ magic Kyra sensed from the amulet, we are once again combining her Earth magic with dragon rituals.”
Kyra picked up the explanation when Siobhan paused, “I spoke with my Aunt Della. Who, by the way, cannot wait to meet you.” The smile on the tiny witch’s face said she loved her aunt very much. “Anyway, I told you I had called her. Well, she called back and gave me all the information she could find about Concealment Spells–which was loads, thank the Goddess. She also said you must be superhuman to have endured all the magic thrust upon you and not be crazy. Most people can’t take it without some really crazy side effects.”
They all chuckled as Siobhan sifted through the stacks of books and papers before coming up with what resembled a large recipe card. “Here it is!”
She handed it to Kyra who quickly scanned the writing and then said, “Okay Chica, this is gonna work pretty much the same as the Detection Spell, only there’s no amulet. Hell, we don’t even have to light a candle, just form a circle, recite the ritual, and wait. I know the waiting part will suck, but I’m adding an indicator that will tell me when the concealment is lifted so we’ll know right away, cool?”
“Absolutely,” Anya responded and quickly added, “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to thank you both enough for all your help.”
Siobhan stood and stepped over the clutter on the floor, stopping right in front of her. “Having you here and seeing the look of utter bliss you put on my son’s face is thanks enough.”
Before she could respond the older woman pulled her into a fierce hug. It was only a few seconds before she felt a much smaller set of arms come around her from behind and heard Kyra’s melodic voice. “And I think it’s freaking cool to get another sis.”
These beautiful, magical people never ceased to amaze Anya with their kindness, generosity, and love. She had loved her mom and pops very much, but always felt like something was missing. The longer she spent with Devon and his clan, the more she understood what family really felt like.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
It had been a hell of a night and all he wanted to do was crawl into bed with Anya and hold her while he slept for a few days, but his mother and Kyra apparently had other plans. Devon wasn’t surprised when he walked into Siobhan’s house to find Sam, Grace, and Kyndel huddled in deep conversation around the kitchen table. He had left Aidan and Rayne digging through the rubble with Aaron, Rian, Royce, and Kellan, and had watched Lance and Rory fly overhead from the SUV window while he drove the rest of the Blue Thunder Clan back to the lair. Rian had told them to rest because they would have the shift tomorrow night, and Rayne had told him to drive them, informing Devon that his constant worry over being away from Anya was driving them all crazy. Max had concurred as he and his panthers piled into vehicles to return to their Pride. Devon shrugged, not apologetic in the slightest for the strong feelings his mate evoked. He did note that he was going to have to work harder to keep them to himself, something he had not had to do since he was very young. Ain’t love grand?
Devon knew he should’ve felt bad for leaving the others behind in favor of seeing Anya, but he just couldn’t work up the guilt. The mating call was relentless and his dragon felt it just as strongly, making the beast damn near intolerable. The long hours of silence between them after the blast had only exacerbated the situation. He had spoken to her and knew she was doing fine, but that did not negate the fact that he needed to see her, hold her, take her scent into his body, and feel her skin against his.
He was just about to ask where his mate was when he heard the words of a ritual and felt Kyra’s magic pulse through the air. Rushing down the hall to his mother’s study, he threw open the door just as Kyra said the words, “We ask for the blessing of the Universe, the Heavens, and the Goddess in our quest to rid this woman of the Spell of Concealment.”
Marching to Anya, he stood behind her, waiting until the ladies raised their heads and let go of one another’s hands before spinning her around. He slammed his mouth to hers and reveled in her immediate response to his kiss. She opened for him and he tasted deep of all that she was until they were both panting and more than a little excited. He saw the blush on her cheeks and loved that he had put it there. Devon didn’t care who saw, he wanted to fly her to the top of the highest peak and scream for all to hear that Anya was his mate and he loved her with every fiber of his being.
The sound of Siobhan clearing her throat and Kyra giggling brought his thoughts back to the study and what he had just walked in on. Never one to mince words, he looked first at his mother and then Kyra before asking, “So, anything anyone wants to tell me?”
Anya’s eyes grew wide and he realized his tone may have been a bit stronger than he intended, but he was just a little pissed that no one had bothered to either give him a heads up or wait until he got back. Devon knew Anya thought she could take care of herself, but she was his mate, and he would be damned if even his mother would perform magic on her without his permission. He was just about to say what he thought when Anya pulled from his arms and planted her fists firmly on her hips. The look she gave him said she had heard at least part of his thoughts and did not agree.
Devon held up his hands and opened his mouth to explain, but she would hear none of it. “Dammit, Devon, I can take care of myself and if I want your mother, or anyone else for that matter, to perform a spell, a ritual, or an appendectomy, I’ll be damned if I’ll wait for your permission.”
She leaned forward on her tippy toes until their noses almost touched, in what he assumed was an effort to intimidate him. He used his considerable control to keep from laughing at how cute she looked, guessing it would only infuriate her more. When she spoke again it was through gritted teeth, “You are my mate, but that does not mean that you get to dictate everything I do. Siobhan and Kyra found a way to remove the Concealment Spell and I wanted it gone as soon as possible, so we did the ritual.” She shrugged. “It’s done, so I suggest you deal with it, but the choice is yours.”
He sensed she was about to turn away in order to make a dramatic exit and solidify her position on the matter, but there was no way he was letting her get away–they had been apart for way too long. Taking one step to the right and stopping her movement, he scooped her up, tossed her over his shoulder, and headed towards the door. When he turned down the hall, he looked back at Kyra and his mother and winked as they laughed at his exit.
Anya laid silently over his shoulder as he made his way to the other end of the house, but he could feel her frustration and was sure he was going to get an earful when they were safely ensconced in the privacy of her room. He could not have been more wrong. After shutting and locking the door to make sure they weren’t interrupted, he carefully placed Anya on the bed and stood back…waiting for what he was sure was to come.
Instead of yelling or even chastising him for his high-handed behavior, she smiled sweetly, scooted to the edge of the bed, and proceeded to remove first one sandal and then the other. Never saying a word, only smiling sweetly, she stood, kissed the tip of his nose, and turned to the right. As she walked away from him, she removed first her blouse and then her bra, letting them fall to the floor while giving him a mouthwatering view of her beautiful back and the curves that had his hands begging to touch.
He watched as her jeans slid to the floor and his breath caught in his throat as her panties slid down her legs. She expertly stepped out of them, striding the last few steps to the door of the bathroom, gloriously naked. He all but panted as he took in the seductive sway of her ass and knew he would find every way possible to keep her unclothed as much as possible in the future.
His dick hardened to the point of pain when she stopped in the doorway, slowly turned to the side giving him a view of her absolutely perfect profile, and then looked longingly over her shoulder. He had taken one involuntary step in her direction when her words stopped him in his tracks. “I was going to invite you to shower with me but now I find myself needing time alone.” She slowly licked her lips, the trail of her tongue making his cock jump as he imagined her beautiful lips on his body.
The spell she had woven fell away with the click of the lock on the bathroom door. Standing in shock at the way his mate had just played him like a fiddle, he groaned when her next statement reached his ears, “Act like a Neanderthal and throw me over your shoulder again and see what other tricks I have up my sleeve. Paybacks are a bitch, Dragon Man.”
Devon had no clue how long he laid on the bed while the scent of sea and sand mixed with Kyndel’s special bath oil filled the room, driving him crazy with desire. He imagined the water glistening on her olive skin and the bubbles sliding over her generous curves. The beautiful aroma and his musings, combined with her striptease, made him want nothing more than to break down the door that stood between them and show her what a Neanderthal he could truly be. Of course, that would only further prove her point and probably land him on the couch, or worse yet, back at his house with Rian’s men. He shuddered at the thought.
He realized after the fact that his actions could have been misconstrued as high-handed. But he had been sure that once they were alone he would be able to explain
his actions and make her see that sometimes his desire to keep her safe overrode his ability to let her do things for herself. It was obvious she valued her independence and had told him how important having a true partnership was to her. He would move heaven and earth to have her happy, but letting her put herself in danger without even consulting him was not acceptable and something she would have to understand. Devon somehow figured it was not the last discussion they would have on the matter.
Trying to decide how to approach Anya while wondering if she would ever emerge from the bath, he welcomed the distraction of Rory’s voice in his mind. “Hey, Dev. Thought I’d catch ya up while lover boy here is talking to his pretty doctor. We saw nothing. If anyone did get away, they’re good and hidden now.”
“Thanks for trying. Did you let Rayne and Rian know?”
“Sure did and Rayne said to holler at you.” For the first time Devon could ever remember, Rory wasn’t being a smartass or joking around. He just sounded tired.
“Cool. Thanks.”
“You got it. We’re about to land in the clearing behind your house. I’m gonna grab a shower and some shut eye.”
“Enjoy, Ror. Catch ya later.”
“See ya, Dev.”
Deciding he better start groveling before Anya spent all the down time he had hiding in the bathroom, he tapped on the door and asked, “Everything okay in there, mo chroi’?”
“Just great,” was her quick response.
Leaning against the door, he whispered, “Mo ghra’, would you please come out and talk to me?”
No answer, only silence, had him closing his eyes, leaning his head against the door, and praying to the Heavens for the right words to explain his actions. It was then he remembered something he had read just a few days before. Taking a deep breath, he started, “Anya, a mhuirnin, do you remember the fountain we saw in the Town Square?”